OCA Awards

Nominations due September 15 and are presented at the OCA Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet the following January

The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) is seeking nominations for cattlemen across the Buckeye state excelling in their operations. There are six distinguished awards available in the following categories: Environmental Stewardship, Commercial Producer, Young Cattleman, Seedstock Producer, Industry Service and Industry Excellence.

Please view the description of each award area below:

OCA Beef Industry Excellence Award

The Excellence Award is presented to beef producers who have worked over a period of years for the betterment of Ohio’s beef industry. Recipients are those that have contributed as a volunteer/leader to the success of the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association and/or through their individual cattle operations have been trailblazers for the beef industry creating new paths for other beef producers to follow.

OCA Beef Industry Service Award

The Service Award is presented to those who have through their careers contributed to the betterment of Ohio’s beef industry. Recipients may or may not also be beef producers. The award is presented for efforts made outside, but complementary to beef production. Recipients of the award are selected based on actions they have taken through their career in academia, Extension, government, agri-business, etc. that have benefited the beef industry.

OCA Young Cattleman of the Year Award

The Young Cattleman of the Year Award is presented to individuals or couples, typically under 40 years of age, who have demonstrated the initial stages of a successful beef operation and exhibited leadership potential. The recipient is also the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association’s automatic nominee (if available) to participate in the NCBA Young Cattlemen’s Conference.

OCA Seedstock Producer of the Year Award

The Seedstock Producer of the Year Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated breeding success through their registered cattle operations. These farms utilize performance information and the latest technologies available to increase the predictability of the cattle they raise as breeding stock for others, in addition to maintaining a continued focus on meeting and exceeding the expectations of beef consumers.

OCA Commercial Cattleman of the Year Award

The Commercial Cattleman of the Year Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated success through their commercial cattle operations. These farms utilize performance information and the latest technologies available to increase the predictability of the cattle they raise, in addition to maintaining a continued focus on meeting and exceeding the expectations of beef consumers. The award is traditionally presented to cow-calf operations, but may also include feeders who feed the cattle they produce.

OCA Environmental Stewardship Award

The Environmental Stewardship Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated a strong commitment to being good stewards of their land, water and air resources, as well as their livestock and operate their farms in a sustainable manner. Recipients implement beef practices to control water run-off, reduce damage in high-traffic feeding/watering areas, exercise good pasture management, preserve woodlands, and provide for wildlife. They often partner with government entities, such as Soil & Water Conservation Districts and the USDA NRCS to implement conservation measures.

Nominations are due by September 15, 2017. Fellow industry leaders, county cattlemen’s associations, soil and water conservation districts, county Farm Bureaus and other local agricultural organizations are encouraged to nominate local cattlemen deserving of any of the above mentioned awards.

The six distinguished awards will be presented at the OCA Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet set for January 21, 2017 at the Nationwide Hotel & Conference Center, Lewis Center, Ohio.